Burial casket



Aug. 5 1924.

R. F. M CAMPBELL BURIAL CASKET Filed Mafch 26.

1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 5 1924.

' R. F. MCCAMPBELL BURIAL CASKET Filed March 26. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Patented Aug. 5, 1924.

ROY F. MCCAMPBELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINO'IS.

BURIAL CASKET.

' Application filed March 26, 1921. Serial No. 455,775.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RoY F. MGCAMPBELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Burial Caskets, of

0 which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to burial caskets and particularly to those which are her metically sealed to preserve the bodies of the deceased.

The main object of my invention is to provide a casket and means associated therewith for absorbing the moisture in the body of the deceased and in the air inthe casket for the purpose of eliminating mold and decay.

Other objects of my invention will appear in the description of the details of construction and from the examination of the accompanying drawings which disclose a selected embodiment of my invention and in which: a f

Fig. 1 is a vertical, longitudinal section through a casket embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical, transverse section on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top View of a casket with the cover removed and embodying the invention in another form;

Fig. 4 is a vertical, transverse section on line 22 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical, longitudinal section on line 55 of Fig. 3.

In the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 I show a casket comprising a body 1 and a cover 2. The casket body is lined with a metallic sheathing 3 the upper portions of the sides of which are bent inwardly to form supports 4 upon which is mounted a frame 5 provided with a glass 6 and adapted to form with the sheathing 3 .a hermetically sealed container. Padding 7 and clamps 8 assist in forming a tight joint between the sheathing and cover.

A bowl or trough 9 is arranged in the casket at one end thereof and the edges of its sides and ends are bent inwardly to form a flange 10 to support a cover 11 above the grid 12 which is supported in the bowl on the inclined sides 9 beneath flange 10. The grid 12 supports blocks 13 of desiccating material such as calcium chloride, calcined gypsum or a compound including one or both of these substances, or other suit able deliquescent substance or compound. This desiccating material attracts and absorbs the moisture of the corpse and gradually becomes dissolved into liquid form, the liquid flowing into trough 9.

I have found itdesirable to provide a mass 14: of liquid absorbing material in trough 9. This mass may be of purified siliceous earth, desiccated alum, magnesium oxide, anhydrous calcium lactate, or other suitable material.

The blocks 13 are enclosed in chambers 15 enclosed in shells 15 which have perforated walls to provide free circulation of air around the blocks. These shells are positioned in openings 11 in the cover 11 adjacent the sides and foot of the casket, and are spaced from each other to provide room for the legs of the corpse between them. The shells have outstanding flanges 15 which rest upon the cover 11 and they may be lifted out to provide for inserting the blocks 13.

The. amount of deliquescent material would naturally vary with the weight of the corpse and the quality of the chemicals used. I have found it advantageous to provide an amount not to exceed onehalf of the weight of the corpse. IVhile the desiccating material might be in any desired form, I have found it advantageous to use a block because it can be easily handled and also because it will dissolve slowly.

In the construction shown in Figs. 35, a single chamber 16 is supported at the top of the body of the casket. The lower part of this chamber 16 forms a trough 17 which is inclined towards the foot of the casket. (Fig. 5). A grid 18 is supported at its edges upon the inclined sides of trough 17 and it carries a block 19 of desiccating material.

The top of chamber 16 is arched at 20 to assist in the collection of moisture, and a door 21 is provided at the end of the chamber to permit insertion of block ,19 irrespective of the presence of a corpse. A spring catch 22 holds door 21 in closed position. A drain 23 leads from the end of trough 17 to a liquid receptacle 24 at the bottom of the casket which is preferably provided with a mass of liquid absorbing material 14.

This construction is especially adapted for 'use in a casket having a cover which is removable in part only to expose the upper portion of the corpse.

The form and arrangement of the parts for supporting the desiccating material and conducting the fluid in the casket may be changed without departing from the spirit of the invention and I reserve the right to make all such changes as come within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A burial casket comprising a body portion, relatively small chambers positioned within said body portion adjacent the sides thereof and adapted to contain desiccating material, and a liquid receptacle below said chambers adapted to receive liquid from said desiccating material.

2. A burial caket comprising a body portion, relatively small chambers positioned within said body portion adjacent the sides thereof and adapted to contain desiccating material, and means below said chambers adapted to receive and absorb liquid from said desiccating material.

3. In a burial casket, a relatively small chamber open to the atmosphere of the casket, a block of calcium chloride in said chamber, a second chamber below said first mentioned chamber, a mass of purified siliceous earth in said second mentioned chamber, and a passage between said chamhere.

4. In a burial casket, a hermetically sealed chamber for the reception of the body, a grid within an out-of-the-way portion of said chamber and desiccating material supported on said grid and exposed to the atmosphere in said chamber.

5. In a burial casket, a hermetically sealed chamber for the body, a sub-chamber within said sealed chamber and freely communieating with the atmosphere herein, a support within said sub-chamber, desiccating material on said support and liquid absorbing material beneath said support.

6. In a burial casket, a hermetically sealed chamber for the body, a support within said chamber, desiccating material on said support, a shell covering said desiccating material, a receptacle below said support, and liquid absorbing means in said receptacle.

7. In a burial casket, a hermetically sealed chamber for the body, supports at the opposite sides of said chamber adjacent to the foot thereof, desiccating material on said supports, perforated shells covering said desiccating material, a receptacle below said-supports and water absorbing material in said receptacle.

-8. In a burial casket, a hermetically sealed chamber for the body, a second chamber within said first mentioned chamber and having communication therewith through a perforate wall, a grid disposed in said second chamber to hold blocks of desiccating material, a third chamber disposed in said first -mentioned chamber and having communication with said second chamber through a perforate wall, and liquid -absorbing means in said third chamber. 

